Fever

The morning sun had already risen, and the blackout curtains were drawn open from the inside, illuminating the hotel room.

Zhou Qishen used a towel to wipe his hair while stepping towards the white bed, sitting at the edge and gazing at a small lump in the center.

The person inside didn’t move at all, seemingly sleeping deeply. Chestnut hair spilled over the soft pillow, revealing only a full, fair forehead and eyebrows, with the rest hidden under the blanket.

“It’s already seven-thirty. Aren’t you getting up?” Zhou Qishen asked, patiently waiting for a moment. After some time passed, the little lump finally stirred, starting to shift lazily.

However, she merely turned over, her back still facing him. “No, sleep a little longer,” she murmured.

Still not fully awake, her voice carried a nasal tone, soft and slightly blurred, endearing to him for no reason.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qishen helplessly reached out and gently stroked her messy hair, trying to smooth out the unruly strands. He smiled and said, “Shall I contact the hotel to have breakfast sent up?”

Her response was a soft, “Mm.”

Realizing that she didn’t want to pay attention to him for the time being, Zhou Qishen didn’t force her anymore. He stood up to get his phone and prepared to contact the hotel staff.

Hearing his footsteps receding behind her, Jiang Xiao cautiously opened her eyes. There was no trace of sleepiness in her clear gaze, and her face buried in the covers flushed red like a cooked lobster.

How did she lose her composure like that last night? It was really unlike her.

After this and that, her first thought upon waking up wasn’t to escape, but she unexpectedly fell asleep on his bed without any defenses… She really had some nerves.

She didn’t just wake up. When she woke up for the first time, it was still dark outside and she was being held in his arms. When she opened her eyes, she was visually struck by the sight of a broad chest and handsome face.

Initially, she planned to slip away while he was asleep, but he held her too tightly for her to move at all. After struggling internally for a while, she intended to take advantage of the situation, but who would have thought she mysteriously fell asleep again…

Now that they were both awake and aware, how could she face him? It was truly embarrassing.

Listening to the voices drifting through the room, Jiang Xiao couldn’t resist anymore and dared to sneak a glance behind her.

Zhou Qishen stood not far away, facing the direction of the bed. He held a glass of cold water in one hand and casually dialed a phone with the other, his low, hoarse voice carrying a slight sense of polite detachment.

It seemed he had just showered, wearing neither a bathrobe nor a shirt, just a simple pair of briefs. Glancing over, his muscular body was completely exposed.

With thick eyebrows and large eyes, a straight nose, and flawless facial features, what stood out even more was his tall and slender figure, broad shoulders, long legs, slender waist, and perky buttocks. The boxer shorts seemed unable to contain his round and ample rear.

Especially that eye-catching bulge, quietly sitting there, ready to go, exuding masculine charm to the fullest…

As Jiang Xiao kept looking, her gaze gradually became uncomfortable. She thought of last night, after he had taken care of her, he stayed alone in the bathroom for a long time until she drifted off to sleep.

At that time, he must have gone to do those things…

Zhou Qishen seemed to sense something, suddenly turned his head, and coincidentally met her probing gaze. A low chuckle escaped his throat, “Awake?”

“I’m going back to my room.” Caught in the act of peeking, Jiang Xiao suppressed her strong discomfort and was about to uncover herself from the bed. But the chill on her legs made her blush and dive back under the covers, “My… my pants?”

“I’ll get them for you.” Zhou Qishen hung up the phone, strode to the window-side sofa chair, and casually tossed the pants within her reach.

With the pants in hand, Jiang Xiao hastily hid under the covers to quickly put them on. Then she swiftly got out of bed to put on her shoes, taking three steps in a hurry, head down straight toward the door, not daring to lift her head for fear of accidentally meeting Zhou Qishen’s gaze.

Zhou Qishen witnessed the entire process, and in a moment, he touched his nose with a smile. Jiang Xiao rushed back to her room in one go, closed the door, and listened carefully to the movements outside, making sure he didn’t follow before finally letting go of her worry.

There was still plenty of time. Jiang Xiao lowered her head to tug at her collar, wrinkling her nose at the lingering smell of alcohol on her body. She immediately rummaged through her wardrobe to find a set of pajamas, then hurried to the bathroom to shower and wash her hair.

After blow-drying her hair and coming out, Jiang Xiao inadvertently glanced at the black bag placed on the bedside cabinet.

It was a gift from Zhou Qishen after returning from a business trip to New Zealand.

According to Zhou Qishen, it was a set of jewelry, but she didn’t know what specifically because she had never thought to open it.

So, driven by curiosity, Jiang Xiao grabbed the bag and placed it on the spacious bed, sitting cross-legged to start unpacking.

Inside were a necklace, a bracelet, and a pair of earrings, all adorned with sparkling diamonds and set with large Kashmir sapphires. The excellent quality and rich velvet-like deep blue color were captivating.

If Zhou Qishen made a move, it must not be cheap.

Seeing the quality, it was another luxury item worth eight figures.

Jiang Xiao stared in shock, glanced at the black bag she had casually thrown to the ground, unable to understand why such a valuable thing was packed in a simple paper bag? Who knows what he thought he was buying, like a street stall item?

After the surprise, Jiang Xiao massaged her temples. Who wouldn’t like such a beautiful and valuable thing? But the problem was, this wasn’t bought with her own money, but a gift from someone else. Without effort, she felt somewhat uneasy and unreasonable holding it.

Frustrated, Jiang Xiao touched her ear. Just last night, she had adamantly refused the wedding ring and wedding house he offered. She never expected to accept an equally precious gift so soon. Wasn’t this contradicting herself and slapping her own face?

For a moment, neither accepting it nor returning it seemed appropriate.

Hesitating for a moment, since she couldn’t decide on her own, Jiang Xiao planned to ask Liang Cheng’s opinion and let her help make the decision.

Jiang Xiao chose a good angle, snapped two photos, and sent them to Liang Cheng: Sister Liang, this was given by Zhou Qishen. Should I accept it or not?

Liang Cheng flew back to Beijing a few days ago and took her artist Jiang Yihuai to interviews everywhere. Last night, she drank until two in the morning, and now she was lying sleepless, only a few hours after lying down, she clicked on the message sent by Jiang Xiao and was hit hard

Liang Cheng was jealous and quickly typed a line.

[Your Social Sister Liang]: I have serious reason to suspect that you are showing off.

[Just Jiang Zi]: Absolutely not!!! I’m really conflicted

[Your Social Sister Liang]: Tell me, what exactly is bothering you?

Jiang Xiao recounted everything that had happened in the past few days, along with her concerns and worries.

After listening, Liang Cheng felt that Jiang Xiao was just complaining without reason.

[Your Social Sister Liang]: What’s wrong if your husband lavishes you with expensive gifts? Did you force him to buy them? Since he willingly bought them, why are you embarrassed to accept them? Or do you want him to give them to other women?

[Your Social Sister Liang]: Let me tell you, Zhou Qishen is definitely interested in you. He travels frequently, and as soon as he returns to the country, he rushes to you, giving flowers and jewelry. Not only that, he’s already preparing for wedding rings and wedding houses. Tsk tsk tsk, he’s definitely interested in you.

[Your Social Sister Liang]: I sensed something fishy earlier, just wasn’t sure. Otherwise, how could he be so foolish? None of the contract terms he listed are favorable to himself.

Liang Cheng became more animated as she spoke, her points clear and incisive.

Jiang Xiao listened in a daze, pondering for a moment. She found it absurd and unbelievable, unable to resist arguing.

[Just Jiang Zi]: How does any of this make sense? Don’t forget, he himself said that anyone who marries him gets this treatment.

However, Liang Cheng gave a completely different answer this time.

[Your Social Sister Liang]: Isn’t this just a typical trick men use to deceive young girls? They start with harsh words to lower your guard, then slowly win you over.

Jiang Xiao: …

Liang Cheng’s words made sense, but only to a limited extent.

From the moment she lied to him, it was like the heavens collapsing. How could Zhou Qishen possibly be interested in her? Especially considering how little time they’ve known each other?

She regretted asking Liang Cheng more and more as she became more confused.

Jiang Xiao shook off the random thoughts in her mind, hurriedly ending the conversation. Her gaze returned to the jewelry box, where the sapphire shimmered under the light, emitting a faint cold glow.

Her slender, fair fingers brushed over the surface of the gemstone. Almost involuntarily, she picked up the necklace, tried it on her neck a few times, but ultimately couldn’t resist the allure of the beautiful jewelry. She put on her shoes and hurried to the bathroom.

Looking through the mirror, she finally saw the approximate effect of wearing it.

Jiang Xiao’s skin tone was naturally pale and cool. The collision of blue and white perfectly complemented her slender neck, enhancing both the beauty of the necklace and her own elegance. She was both cold and noble.

A hint of amazement flashed in Jiang Xiao’s eyes. The more she looked, the more she liked it. This necklace seemed tailor-made for her, perfectly suited in both color and style.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Xiao chuckled softly. When did she become so hesitant? It wasn’t like her personality at all. She should just accept gifts graciously; as long as she reciprocates with a gift of equivalent value in the future.

She remembered there was a limited edition watch at home. When she returned to Beijing, she would use that as her return gift.

After making up her mind, Jiang Xiao happily wore the necklace around her neck. But before she could enjoy it for long, a sudden knock on the door interrupted her.

Zhou Qishen’s voice followed closely behind: “Xiaoxiao, my stomach feels uncomfortable. Do you have any painkillers?”

With a weak gasp accompanying the knocking, the noise gradually faded, as if he was in so much pain that he could barely hold on.

Jiang Xiao realized the seriousness of the situation and couldn’t care less about taking off the necklace. She rushed out of the bathroom and opened the door.

Zhou Qishen was bent over, clutching his stomach. She couldn’t see his exact expression, but his deeply hunched back indicated he was definitely not feeling well.

Furrowing her brow, Jiang Xiao quickly reached out and grabbed his arm, using her body to support him. “I don’t have stomach medicine here. Shall we go straight to the hospital?”

Zhou Qishen curled up his body, still trying to endure. “It’s just a bit uncomfortable, no need to go to the hospital.”

Jiang Xiao looked at him with a frown. Drinking too much is the easiest way to get into trouble. Even if he has a good tolerance for alcohol, he should control his intake. He drank so many bottles last night; it would be strange if he didn’t feel uncomfortable.

But Jiang Xiao didn’t feel like scolding him while he was in pain. After a moment of hesitation, she firmly refused, her tone clearly annoyed.

“Wait a minute, I’ll go change my clothes and come out right away.”

Just as she turned to leave, a hand grabbed her wrist, silently stopping her.

“I really am fine…”

But in that split second, he froze on the spot, unable to take his eyes off her. 

Jiang Xiao noticed his gaze fixed on her neck, blushing slightly, she explained hastily, “I just impulsively wanted to try…”

“It’s very beautiful, and suits you.” Zhou Qishen’s gaze softened.

Jiang Xiao felt her face grow hotter, her eyes darting around. Muttering to herself, she awkwardly redirected the conversation back on track. “Let’s hurry and go to the hospital.”

But Zhou Qishen stubbornly refused, “There’s no need.”

“Why?” Jiang Xiao was puzzled.

Zhou Qishen looked at her steadily, his eyes gradually becoming obscure, trying to explain calmly, “My health is fine. I just wanted an excuse for you to open the door for me.”

“You’re lying to me?” Jiang Xiao realized, raising her voice.

Zhou Qishen used his fist to hide his guilt, finally showing a somewhat guilty expression. He dared only to glance at her, softly asking, “If I didn’t use this excuse, would you have opened the door? You’re so shy.”

Jiang Xiao choked up, unable to speak. According to her temperament, of course she wouldn’t have.

She leaned back against the wall behind her, struggling to control her emotions. Lowering her voice, she said firmly, “Regardless, that’s not a reason for you to deceive me.”

“Yeah, I was wrong.” Zhou Qishen apologized sincerely, taking a half step forward. A pleasant fragrance wafted into her nostrils.

Jiang Xiao narrowed her eyes, inexplicably sensing that he might have ulterior motives. Her restless heart, already stirred by Liang Cheng’s words, began to beat irregularly, growing louder and more pronounced.

She calmed herself down and extended her other hand, placing it between them. “Speak properly, don’t come any closer.”

Zhou Qishen’s hand brushed past her ear, tucking a stray strand of hair behind it, revealing a suddenly flushed earlobe. His gaze deepened, sinking even to the nape of her neck.

She resembled a soft, innocent lamb, with round, clear eyes, completely defenseless, unaware that danger was looming.

His eyes grew deeper, his breath becoming heavy and deep. Like a seductive fox, he said, “I apologize to you, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad at me, okay?”

“Oh, is that all?” Jiang Xiao stepped back half a step, gradually realizing that something was off about him.

Zhou Qishen was unabashed, raising his sharp eyebrows, directly hinting at his ulterior motive. “Of course not…”

But just at the critical moment, he stopped.

Jiang Xiao nervously swallowed, slowly exhaling. “Hmm? What do you mean?”

Zhou Qishen’s finger traced along her jawline, gently lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His narrow phoenix eyes seemed to devour her with desire.

Soon, he leaned in close, his breath lingering near her ear, almost bewitchingly whispering, “I also want this…”

**

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